1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for safely, quickly and conveniently exposing and removing coins from a wrapped roll of coins and, more specifically to a device adapted for cutting, slicing, tearing, piercing or scoring the wrapper (made of paper, plastic, etc.) of a coin roll to facilitate opening of the coin roll and removal of coins therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common practice for banks and businesses to utilize coin wrappers or sheaths. The wrappers are manufactured of either paper or plastic, or any other suitable material, and in certain lengths and diameters so as to accommodate a given number of a particular coin denomination. For example, in the United States a penny wrapper is sized to have fifty pennies fitted into it. Other specially sized wrappers are available to have fitted therein given numbers of nickels, dimes and quarters (or the respective coins of other countries).
Once the coins are inserted into the wrapper, the ends of the wrapper are closed or otherwise turned under or reduced in size to complete the wrapping. The coins in such a wrapped roll can then be handled easily and in known dollar values, with assurance that the contents of the roll will not spill out.
In use, the wrapped roll of coins are distributed to cashiers who must, as a matter of course, make change for customers. When the cashier runs out of a certain coin denomination, a roll of that coin denomination is opened and its contents are spilled into the cash drawer for ready availability. How the coin roll is opened by the cashier forms the subject of the present invention. Typically, when a cashier needs to open a wrapped roll of coins, the coin roll will normally be firmly grasped and sharply banged indiscriminantly against an edge of a point-of-sale system, the cash drawer of the point of sale system or cash register, a counter top or other nearby object. As a result of this blow to the roll of coins, the wrapper is at least partly split or broken so that its contents can be easily removed.
Although this procedure is effective, it also is problematic for both the cashier and the object (against which the cashier chooses to smash the coin roll against in order to gain access to its contents) are subject to the resulting force from the blow. The multiple repeated blows delivered by the very hard coin roll can result in damage to the point-of-sale system (i.e., to the electronics of the POS, the drawer(s), drawer tracks, display(s), etc.), counter top or other object against which the coin roll is smashed. This smashing may also result in injury to the cashier.
This is particularly a problem with cash drawers. Cash drawers have become less sturdy and more complicated. The metal of cash drawers of times past has been typically replaced by plastic, and the sturdy internal mechanisms have been replaced by electronic elements that perform calculations and various other sensing and data processing functions. When a coin roll is banged against any part of the cash drawer, shock waves travel throughout the drawer to all components of the POS system. Such shocks may cause expensive-to-repair damage to not only the mechanical or structural components of the cash drawer, but also the electronics and other shock-sensitive components of the POS system, including sensitive display elements.
Countertops and other objects also have become more delicate. The hard wood of countertops and other sturdy objects of times past has been typically replaced by Formica or other less sturdy materials. These newer materials are not as capable of withstanding over the course of time multiple repeated blows from very hard objects such as metal coin rolls. Very often, the impact of the coin rolls physically damages the countertops or other objects.
Since the cashier may need to open quite a large number of coin rolls during the course of a business day, the repetition of shocks to the hands from repeated smashing, day after day, can result in injury to the cashier over a long period of time.
Coin roll openers known in the prior art include both hand held opening devices, such as those exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,852,255 (Hochfeld), 4,852,253 (Uchida), 4,757,611 (Tommi et. al.) and 4,001,934 (Bell), and mountable devices, such as those exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,825,738 (Jones), 4,382,330 (Harbaugh) and 4,040,183 (Cassier).
A problem with the known hand held opening devices of the prior art is the extra time and effort it requires to locate, handle and operate the devices. The result is that the hand held devices tend not to be used or are mislocated or misplaced. The problem with the known mountable devices of the prior art is that they too require operation motions to which cashiers are unaccustomed and thus, also tend not to be used. Moreover, the known prior art mountable devices further take up otherwise usable counter top or cashier space and may interfere with normal operations. Additionally the mountable devices usually provide that the blade is exposed or accessible when the device is not needed posing a safety hazard to the cashier.